1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image generation device for generating an image viewed from a given viewpoint in an object space and to an information storage medium usable therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Image generation devices have been developed and used which are designed to form a plurality of objects within a virtual three-dimensional object space and to generate an image viewed from a given viewpoint in the object space. These image generation devices are highly popular since a player can experience a so-called virtual reality. In an image generation device by which a player can enjoy a racing game, for example, the player can control a motor vehicle running in an object space and enjoy a three-dimensional game by competing against other motor vehicles controlled by the other players or by a computer.
In the development of such an image generation device, efficient control of the viewpoint is one of the important technical objectives. An example of techniques for controlling the viewpoint is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-116343, for example. In this technique, a player depresses a viewpoint change button on a control panel to perform a xe2x80x9cviewpoint changexe2x80x9d. More particularly, the player can change the viewpoint from the first-person viewpoint (in which a moving body controlled by a player is not displayed on the screen) to the third-person viewpoint (in which the moving body controlled by the player is displayed on the screen) or vice versa.
In the conventional techniques, however, various conditions for the viewpoint setting (viewpoint change pattern, position of the viewpoint, line-of-sight and so on) were determined regardless of the type of moving body selected by the player. In other words, images were always generated based on a given viewpoint setting. Therefore, the player could not get a viewpoint setting that is suitable for the selected moving body.
In addition, the viewpoint setting in the conventional techniques was necessarily directed for all players including advanced players and beginners, leading to the dissatisfaction of advanced players due to poor reality or appeal, or the dissatisfaction of beginners due to difficulty of the game.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image generation device enabling an optimal viewpoint setting that is suitable for the type of selected moving body and also to provide an information storage medium usable therein.
To this end, the present invention provides an image generation device for generating an image viewed from a given viewpoint in an object space, comprising: means for selecting a moving body operated by a player from a plurality of moving bodies; means for selecting a viewpoint setting that is linked to the selected moving body from a plurality of viewpoint settings provided for the plurality of moving bodies and for controlling the viewpoint based on the selected viewpoint setting; and means for generating an image viewed from the viewpoint that is controlled based on the selected viewpoint setting.
According to the present invention, a plurality of viewpoint settings are provided for a plurality of moving bodies. When a player selects one of the moving bodies, a viewpoint setting that is linked to (suitable for) the selected moving body is also selected. Thus, the viewpoint is controlled based on the selected viewpoint setting and an image viewed from the controlled viewpoint will be generated. Therefore, the viewpoint setting can be changed from one to another depending on the selected moving body. As a result, an optimum viewpoint setting that is suitable for the type of moving body can be obtained. This also leads to an increased variety in the viewpoint setting without requiring any complicated operation to the player.
The viewpoint setting may include setting of a viewpoint change pattern; a viewpoint change pattern that is linked to the selected moving body may be selected from a plurality of viewpoint change patterns provided for the plurality of moving bodies; and the viewpoint may be changed according to the selected viewpoint change pattern. For example, a first viewpoint change pattern (1-A, 1-B, 1-C) may be provided for a first moving body, and a second viewpoint change pattern (2-A, 2-B, 2-C) may be provided for a second moving body, as a viewpoint setting. If the player selects the first moving body, the viewpoint can be changed from 1-A to 1-C. If the player selects the second moving body, the viewpoint can be changed from 2-A to 2-C. In such a manner, the variety in changing the viewpoint can be increased without requiring any complicated operation to the player. This can meet many players ranging from the advanced players to beginners.
The viewpoint setting may include setting of at least one of the viewpoint position, line-of-sight and angle of view. By changing the viewpoint position, line-of-sight or angle of view depending on the type of moving body, an optimum viewpoint setting that is suitable for the type, height, length, magnitude, shape, running performance, capability, property and so on of the selected moving body can be obtained.
The height of the viewpoint may be increased in proportion as the height of the moving body is increased. Thus, an image viewed from the optimum viewpoint that is changed depending on the height of the moving body can be provided.
The distance between the moving body and the viewpoint may be increased in proportion as the length of the moving body increased. Thus, an image viewed from the optimism viewpoint that is changed depending on the length of the moving body can be provided.
A first moving body among the plurality of the moving bodies may have a viewpoint in the right front of the first moving body; and a second moving body among the plurality of the moving bodies may have a viewpoint in the left front of the second moving body. This makes it possible to give a player a feeling as if he or she drives a motor vehicle with a right-hand steering wheel or a motor vehicle with a left-hand steering wheel, for example.
The viewpoint setting may include setting of a viewpoint control program; a viewpoint control program that is linked to the selected moving body may be selected from a plurality of viewpoint control programs provided for the plurality of moving bodies; and the viewpoint may be controlled according to the selected viewpoint control program. This makes it possible to control the viewpoint according to the option viewpoint control program that is suitable for the selected moving body. As a result, the variety in control of viewpoint can be increased without using any complicated viewpoint control program.
A first viewpoint control program for the first moving body among the plurality of moving bodies may permit the viewpoint position or line-of-sight to follow the slight change in the position or direction of the first moving body; and a second viewpoint control program for the second moving body among the plurality of the moving bodies may inhibit the viewpoint position or line-of-sight from following the slight change in the position or direction of the second moving body. If the player selects the first moving body, thus, the first viewpoint control program can be selected so as to generate an image in which slight movement does not occur in the first moving body but occurs in the background. On the other hand, if the player selects the second moving body, the second viewpoint control program can be selected so as to generate an image in which slight movement does not occur in the background but occurs in the second moving body. Therefore, the viewpoint can be controlled meeting many players ranging from advanced players to beginners without need of any complicated viewpoint control program.